Bell-piano.



R. G. HARRIS.

BELL PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED MAY a. 1915.

1,287,981 Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

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R. G. HARRIS.

BELL PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. 1916.

1,287,981.. Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

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R. G. HARRIS.

BELL PIANO. APPLICATION FILED MAY3v19IG.

Patented Dec. 17,1918.

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RICHARD G. HARRIS, F KNOXVILLE, TEN

WITT, ONE-SIXTH TO F. L. ALLEN, A

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.

NESSEE, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRD TO H. 3'. ND ONE-SIXTH TO G. C. HUTSON, ALL OF BELL-PIANO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

Application filed May 3, 1916. Serial No. 95,214.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD G. HAnnis, a citizen of the United States, residing at Knoxville, in the county of Knox and State of Tennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bell-Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to musical instruments of that class known as bell pianos.

In carrying out my invention it is my purpose to provide a bell piano which shall be of a simple and durable construction and arranged to permit of properly sounding the bells while playing the piano keys, and to soften the volume of sound by the actuationof suitable pedal mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to pro duce a bell piano of a simple construction, in which the hammer for the bells is provided with two heads, one having a facing of soft material and the other of hard material, and to provide means whereby either of the heads may be arranged in bell-contacting position.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In the said drawings:

Figure l is a cross section of theimprovement approximately on the line a-c of Fig. 2,

Fig. 2 is a sectional front elevation of the same on the line 72-?) of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view approximately on the line cc of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the keys illustrating the connection thereof with the bell crank lever,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the hammers and the lever for the same,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged central vertical longitudinal sectional view through the same,

Fig. 7 is a face view of the hammer,

Fig. 8 is a face view of the lever for the hammer parts being in section, and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the supporting frames for two of the bells.

Fig. 10 1s a view illustrating more clearly the circumferential groove in the head of the actuating lever.

The casing 1 of the bell piano is preferably in the form similar to the one given upright pianos and on the casing is arranged the keyboard 2 having the usual white keys 3 and black keys 4. Each of the keys is provided upon its outer end with an eye 5 which is adapted to be engaged by a hook or staple 6 upon the outer plate of the keyboard 2 and the upper faces of the keys, at the rear portion thereof are contacted by a suitable longitudinally arranged bar or cleat 7 formed upon the front of the casing 1. Each of the keys, adjacent the forward end thereof, is provided with a downwardly eX- tending finger 8, and each of said fingers is pivotally connected to one arm 9 of a bell crank lever 10 which is journaled upon a longitudinally extending rod 11 that is connected with the opposite ends of the casing 1. Each of the levers 10 is provided with a central arm 12 to which is connected a cord or wire 13, while the said lever at a suitable distance from the said arm 12 is formed with a downwardly extending portion or arm 1% to which is secured one end of a convolute spring 15, the second end of the spring being connected to an upright partition 16 arranged to the rear of the keyboard. By this arrangement it will be noted that the springs exerting tension upon the levers 10 turn the said levers upon the rod 11 and through the medium of the fingers S normally swing the inner ends of the keys 3 and 4 into contact with the cleat 7, so arranging all of the keys in playing position.

The flexible elements or wires 13 are each connected with one end of a lever 17. All of these levers 17 are mounted upon a shaft 18 which is arranged transversely of and in the casing 1. The levers 17 each has its up per end provided with a round head 19 which is formed with a round opening 20. This opening,'upon what I will term the outer face of the head 19 is bridged by a plate 21 and the said plate has a central opening providing a bearing for a shaft 22. Mounted upon this shaft 22 is a ratchet wheel 23 having a hub 22 projecting from one of its faces, the said hub, of course, receiving the shaft 22. Pivotally secured to the head 19 or within a depression which communicates with the opening in the said head is a spring pressed dog 24: which engages with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 23. The hammers are indicated by the numerals .26, one of, the same being provided 7 its faces formed with a round depression.

The hammer is provided with a central bearing opening to receive the end of the hub The hammer member 26 is secured upon' the hub in any desired or preferred manner, as for instance, the hub may be threaded and may have arranged thereon a nut which contacts with the outer face of the clapper member. Secured within the round depression in the face of the hammer is a coil spring 27 which is wound around the hub 22 and has its opposite orfree'end secured to the .hub. The round head 19 of each of the levers17 is provided with an elongated circumferential slot 28 upon its face against which the hammer is arranged and the said hammer is provided with a lug 297that is received in the said slot and this lug, when contacting with the end walls provided by the said slot, limits the rotary or swinging movement of the hammer upon the-head ofthe lever 17. Each of the hammers 26 is provided with two right angularly disposed heads 30 and 31 respectively and the spring 27 is arranged to move the hammer in one direction so that the head 30 is normally sustained in a vertical position, while the second head 31 is arranged in a position to contact with the bell. The head 30 is provided with a facing of soft material, such as felt, and which is indicated by the numeral 32.

The casing has arranged therein a hori-' zontally disposed partition 33 and secured to this partition, in suitable spaced relation to each other, is a plurality of frames 34. The frames are preferably constructed of metal, and as illustrated in detail in Fig. 9 of the drawings, comprise each a substantially inverted U shaped base. The frame has its ends ofiset. These offset ends are secured to the partition 33. The connecting .element for the arms may be centrally provided with transverse enlargements that are provided with openings for the shaft 18. The shaft 18 provides the pivot for the levers 17 The top or connecting member of the base of the frame has secured thereon an inverted U- or yoke shaped'member. The yoke is centrally provided with an outwardly projecting threaded element 35, which'passes through a central opening the bells 40,-and a nut engages said threaded member 35 to retain the bells in proper position upon'the frame 34. To the inner arms of the base of the frame 34 is preferably secured 'a'hori-' zontally disposed plate 37. The-plate 37 is centrally provided with an opening,the pur poseiof I which will presently be described. 'To the plate 37 isi se'cured an inverted U shaped or yoke member-.38 Thesmember .38

has its central portion provided with an e'x j atend-ing threaded element .139 which passes through a central opening in the inner and smaller series of bells 36, the said bells being retained upon the elements 38 preferably through the medium of the nuts engaging with the said threaded elements 39.

Passing through the referred to open ings in the plates 37 is a shaft 48, and upon this shaft is journaled the inner series of levers 17 for the inner and smaller series of bells 36, the construction of the said levers and hammers being similar to that previously described, and to the ends of the said levers 17 are secured wire or similar flexible elements 42 that have their free ends secured one to each of the central arms 12 of the bell crank levers 10, which are connected through the medium of the fingers 8 to the black keys 4. By reference to the one of the bells, thus sounding the said bell.

It will be further apparent'that when-pres sure upon the key is relieved, the spring will return the said key to its initial position, simultaneous with the movement of the lever 15 in returning the head of the hammer out of contacting engagement with the bell.

Disposed a. )proXimately centrally between the levers o the front and rear series of bells and journaled in suitable bearings in the ends of 'the casing 1 is a shaft 43. This shaft is centrally provided with an angularly disposed arm 44 which is connected by awire 45 to the pedal 46 whichis projected through the front of the casing l.

The shaft 43 is provided wtih a plurality of oppositely disposed angular fingers 47 and 48 respectively, and. to each of. these series of fingers is connected wire elements 49 and 50 respectively. The wires 49 are connected to the'fingers 31 of the inner se ries of hammers, the wires 50 being also connected to the heads 31 of the inner or rear series of hammers. A pressure upon the pedal 46 will, through the medium of the wire 45, swing the shaft'43, and consequently move the arms 47 and 48 to cause 7 position to contact with the bells when the .keys are depres ed. The contact of the ,-'cov,eredheads with the bells will, of course, ',soften the sound of the bells, and conse rquently, the volume eftene from the bells will be softer than when the said bells are contactedfl'by the uncovered heads 31.1 The spring arrangement between the hammers and the levers 17 is such that when pressure upon the pedal 46 is relieved, the said heads will be automatically returned to their initial positions, that is with the uncovered heads 31 in position to contact with the bells, and simultaneous with such turning of the heads, the shaft 43 will be returned to its initial and normal position.

The arrangement of the connection between the heads and the levers is such that when the heads are turned to bring the head 30 into bell contacting position, the pawl 24 engaging with the ratchet wheel 23, will turn the same, causing the spring 27 to be wound around the hub 22 of the said ratchet wheel 23, so that the said springs are always retained at the proper tension to return the hammers to their normal or initial position when pressure upon the pedal 46 is released.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a bell piano, the combination with a bell, of a hammer with heads of different degrees of hardness, means for normally retaining one of the heads in bell-contacting position, means for turning the hammer to bring the other head into bell-contacting position, and means for operating the hammer.

2. In a bell piano, the combination of a bell, of a frame supporting the bell, a lever pivoted to the frame, a hammer with striking heads of different degrees of hardness pivotally secured to the lever, means between the hammer and lever for normally retaining one of the heads in bell-contacting position, means for turning the hammer on Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the its pivot to bring the second head thereof into bell-contacting position, and means for automatically returning the hammer to its initial position.

3. In a bell piano, a frame, a bell supported on the frame, a lever pivoted to the frame, a hammer having striking heads of different degrees of hardness pivotally secured to the lever, spring means between the hammer and lever for retaining the hammer normally in one position on the lever, means for swinging the hammer on its pivot to bring the second head thereof into bell-contacting position, and means for operating the lever.

4. In a bell piano, the combination with a bell, of a pivoted lever having one of its ends received in the bell, a hammer having a plurality of striking heads of different degrees of hardness plvotally connected to the lever, spring means between the hammer and lever for normally retaining one of the heads in bell-contacting position, means for turning the hammer on its pivot to bring the second head thereof into bell-contacting position, means for winding the spring when the last mentioned head of the hammer is brought to bell-contacting position, whereby to return the hammer to its initial position, and means for operating the lever.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD G. HARRIS.

Witnesses:

THOMAS W. FIELDS, JACOB F. TAPE.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0." 

